e4myJobs New Job Seeker Resource

The original of this article can be found at Job Metrx.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009 - 12:41:03 PM

Randy Block is an accomplished Career Transition Coach, and former executive recruiter, with a passion for baseball. In his coaching practice, he often hears complaints from seasoned job seekers about not being considered for full-time positions by Gen Xers.

Some observations he has noted:

• Thirty-somethings don’t want to hire their parents. Boomers have hired people from their own age demographic or their juniors for years. Would you have hired your dad or mom to work directly for you?

• Boomers are considered a “flight risk” once the economy turns around. They probably will take a better job. They will be viewed as someone who just used the company as a “half way house.”

• Boomers want to be “led” and not managed. Most thirty-something managers look for someone they can “manage."

• Age anti-discrimination laws in this country have backfired. If you hire someone for full-time work over 50, they can be hard to get rid of, even in an “at will” state. So why hire them in the first place?

If you are a Boomer and still want to work with these “young lions and lionesses,” Block suggests steps that you can take:

• Know thyself I: What do you value? All decisions (personal and professional) are based on values. Relationships are based on shared values. Shared values make up most of what we call chemistry.

• Know thyself II: Develop your personal brand. You have to be an expert in something. There is something that only you can do. You have specialized knowledge and/or experience. Determine what it is.

• Select the top 15 organizations that nterest you the most. Companies like to be chosen, not résumé blasted. Remember, you have to be as excited as they are about what they do.

• Network into top management: Leverage introductions by exchanging information. Networking is not overt selling. All organizations have only two basic needs: revenue and productivity. This is what keeps senior management up at night. If your brand can help them, they will seek your advice and counsel.

So the Gen Xers need your help. Now what? You have a wealth of experience and you can make a difference in their lives and careers. If they don’t want your expertise, then there are plenty of others who do.